Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General
Department of Public Information . News and Media Division . New York
November 17, 2025
The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today's briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.
**Guest
Good afternoon. We are delighted to be joined live by Tom Fletcher, the Emergency Relief Coordinator and Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs. He is connecting with us from Sudan, from Tawila, if I am not mistaken. [Mr. Fletcher briefed journalists from Adré, the crossing between Chad and Sudan]. And Tom, please, you have the floor then we will take some questions.
[Briefing not transcribed]
And just to note, we should be sharing with you shortly by email a link to a lot of the video that was made available by Tom over the last week. So that will help you with your coverage.
**Senior Personnel Appointment
Just to note that we have a senior personnel appointment today, which is not a surprise, as it's been hinted, but it is now official. Today, the Secretary-General, following consultations with the Executive Board of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), wrote to the President of the General Assembly requesting the General Assembly to confirm Alexander De Croo of Belgium as the new Administrator of UNDP for a term of four years. The General Assembly confirmed the nomination today.
Mr. De Croo succeeds Achim Steiner of Germany, to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for his leadership and commitment to the Organization. He also wishes to express his appreciation to Haoliang Xu, Associate Administrator of UNDP, who has been handling the interim and will continue to do so until Mr. De Croo's arrival. Just as background: Mr. De Croo has dedicated much of his career to public service advancing global solidarity, combining political leadership, development cooperation and innovation. As former Prime Minister of Belgium from 2020 to 2025, he worked closely with multilateral institutions to steer structural change for people in some of the world's most vulnerable regions, having consistently supported UNDP as a key partner. And we welcome Mr. De Croo to the UN family.
**Secretary-General/COP30
As far as the Secretary-General, he just arrived in Belém, in Brazil, a few hours ago, where, as you all know, the thirtieth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP30) is currently under way. As I told you last week, during the next few days, he will be meeting with negotiating parties, including various regional groups and ministers. He will also engage with civil society representatives, indigenous peoples and youth. And we will update you on his programme as he goes along.
**Occupied Palestinian Territory
Turning to the situation in Gaza, our colleagues with the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warn that the humanitarian situation remains very difficult, with many people struggling to access the basics they need to survive. Following heavy rains on Friday, humanitarian teams carried out rapid assessments of impacted areas over the weekend and provided some initial aid. More than 13,000 families are estimated to have been impacted by the flooding.
According to our partners working on shelter, over the weekend, they helped distribute at least 9,000 tents, 83,000 tarpaulins and 59,000 blankets, with thousands more planned in the coming days. While we and our partners have moved swiftly to respond to rain-affected areas, our efforts remain constrained by inadequate volumes of shelter and other necessary supplies allowed to enter through the UN-coordinated mechanism.
With temperatures dropping and winter fast approaching, we must be allowed to expand the shelter response to meet the vast scale of needs across the Gaza Strip. We continue to call for unrestricted, for rapid and sustained access; the opening of additional crossings; facilitation of entry of tents that are currently restricted, as well as critical equipment to maintain storm drains and repair sanitation networks; permissions for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to bring in supplies; and the safe movement of humanitarian convoys. Since 10 October, at least nine attempts by the United Nations and our partners to bring in tents have been rejected.
Our partners working on food security report that with the volume of food parcels entering Gaza having increased in recent days, they plan to resume the distribution of two food parcels and one bag of flour [per household] across the Strip. Earlier last week, distributions in the north had to be limited to high-energy biscuits and one bag of flour, because partners working to bring supplies were facing impediments, including the de-prioritization of humanitarian cargo at crossings, customs clearance delays and lack of access to northern crossings.
Meanwhile, our colleagues working on efforts to remove rubble and debris from roads and communities tell us that they have cleared 100,000 tons of debris since the ceasefire came into effect. However, nearly 58 million tons of debris and rubble remain spread across the Gaza Strip — and only half of that amount is currently accessible.
We and our partners continue to collect supplies daily from the crossings. Over the weekend, we and those working with us started collecting supplies that have been offloaded at Zikim crossing and are bringing them into Gaza — this is after two months when that crossing had been closed. Our teams collected over 2,700 pallets of essential supplies. That's about 2,600 metric tons. Overall, between Thursday and Sunday, we and partners collected over 5,400 metric tons of assistance from the crossings. That is what the UN 2720 Mechanism dashboard is telling us. Supplies included food, tents, tarpaulins, blankets, mattresses, medicine and animal fodder.
**Lebanon/Israel
Moving north, to the latest developments in Southern Lebanon. I can tell you that the Secretary-General is indeed deeply concerned by the increased frequency of incidents impacting the safety and security of our peacekeepers in Lebanon. Yesterday, an Israeli tank near one of the Israel Defense Forces' (IDF) positions located north of the Blue Line opened fire towards north-east of Sarda in Sector East. Rounds of fire hit approximately five meters from our peacekeepers who were in the vicinity. The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) requested the IDF to stop the firing immediately through our liaison channels. Thankfully, no UNIFIL personnel were injured. The Secretary-General reminds all parties of their obligation to ensure the protection of UN personnel and property. Peacekeepers must never be targeted by attacks.
And in a separate incident also yesterday, a drone fell inside a UN position south-east of Marwahin in Sector West. A grenade was discovered beneath the drone and detonated by our explosive ordnance disposal team. Our peacekeeping colleagues are trying to determine the origin of the drone. Also yesterday, a UNIFIL radar detected two separate shelling events where a total of four 120 millimetre mortar shells impacted north-west of Sarda in Sector East. All shells were fired from south to the north of the Blue Line.
Meanwhile, UNIFIL peacekeepers continue to discover unauthorized weapons caches, as well as unexploded ordnance in their area of operations. Yesterday, the peacekeepers found a Rocket-Propelled Grenade and ammunition in the vicinity of a 50-meter-long tunnel north-west of Frun in Sector East. UNIFIL marked the area, and as they do, they informed the Lebanese Armed Forces about the finding for disposal.
**Security Council/Food Insecurity
Back here, the Security Council is holding an open debate today on conflict-related food insecurity, a critical issue. Just in the past year, the Famine Review Committee has confirmed famine on three separate occasions: twice in Sudan (December 2024 and November 2025) and once in Gaza (August 2025). This marks the first time that conflict-driven famine has been confirmed more than once in a single year.
Briefing the Council, our Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, emphasized that war and hunger are intertwined, with starvation increasingly used as a weapon. She noted that while global military spending reached $21.9 trillion over the past decade, ending hunger by 2030 would cost $93 billion per year.
For her part, Joyce Msuya, the Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, urged Council members to use their leverage to address hunger in conflict, calling for stronger policies and practices to protect civilians and facilitating humanitarian action. Máximo Torero, the Chief Economist at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), told the Council that food insecurity is no longer just a humanitarian challenge, but a matter of global peace and security. Waiting for famine to occur before acting, and before it is too late.
**Ukraine
Turning to Ukraine, our OCHA colleagues report that hostilities over the weekend caused dozens of civilian casualties and further disrupted critical services amid cold weather. According to authorities, widespread attacks between Saturday and this morning killed at least a dozen of civilians and injured more than 60, including 5 children.
In the town of Balakliia, in the Kharkiv region, a missile strike killed 3 civilians and injured 15 more, among them 5 girls. Additional casualties were reported in Chernihiv, Dnipro, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Sumy and Zaporizhzhia. Humanitarian organizations responded immediately after the deadly attack in Balakliia, where they delivered bottled water, snacks, hygiene items, blankets and construction materials, and also offered mental health support. Authorities and our partners report that residential buildings and critical infrastructure were damaged along the front line.
In the region of Odesa, drone attacks left more than 30,000 households without electricity, while strikes in the Chernihiv region disrupted power in several communities. Scheduled power outages continued across much of Ukraine following recent attacks. Power disruptions remain particularly severe near the front line, where our partners report that nearly 70 per cent of locations they have assessed face frequent or prolonged outages, while some have no electricity at all. These outages continue to affect the water supply, heating and telecommunications, with direct consequences, as one can imagine, for civilians and our humanitarian operations. Meanwhile, OCHA says that evacuations from front-line areas continued over the weekend.
**Abyei
A quick update from our peacekeepers in Abyei: The UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), reports that it has completed repairs and maintenance on the Banton Bridge over the River Kiir. This bridge is a vital link between Abyei's central areas and southern villages, and an important route for trade with South Sudan. The bridge had been unsafe for months, restricting civilian movement, humanitarian access, and the patrols of our peacekeepers. Separately, UN peacekeepers also cleared the route from the Northern Check Point to Amiet Market by removing stranded vehicles and repairing rain-damaged road sections. And you will have seen, on Friday, the Security Council extended the mandate of the peacekeeping force for another year.
**Hurricane Melissa
While hurricane Melissa has moved on, we are starting to uncover even more lasting consequences. Our colleagues at the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) tell us that, three weeks after the storm hit the Caribbean, nearly 477,000 children are experiencing significant disruptions to their schooling — that is in Cuba, Haiti, and Jamaica. With many schools damaged or closed, children have been forced to miss classes or study in temporary spaces that may not be equipped for proper learning. In response, UNICEF is working with local governments and partners to deliver supplies and trying to rehabilitate damaged schools.
In Cuba, UNICEF has prepositioned supplies to reach 21,000 students, including school kits. They are also supporting efforts for rehabilitation there. In Haiti, UNICEF provided 2,800 school kits in South and Nippes Departments and additional actions are planned in the coming weeks. And in Jamaica, the agency has provided teaching and learning materials along with up to 100 temporary learning spaces to support 10,000 children. Our colleagues call on donors to protect education by mobilizing money to address the most urgent of the children's needs. More details online.
**Srebrenica
Just to flag that at 1:15 p.m. this afternoon, the Deputy Secretary-General will be one of the speakers at the dedication of the Flowers of Srebrenica memorial, just outside the building, in the garden overlooking the East River. You're all invited to attend. Bosnia and Herzegovina donated the Flower of Srebrenica Memorial to the UN Secretariat earlier this year as part of the Srebrenica Genocide and the UN Outreach Programme. The Permanent Memorial forms an integral part of the Srebrenica Genocide and the United Nations Outreach Programme, which engages visitors in reflection and commemoration. This is part of our colleagues' activities to mark the thirtieth anniversary of the genocide in Srebrenica.
**Road Traffic Victims
Today is the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. Every year, 1.2 million people are killed in road crashes, and another 50 million are left injured or disabled. Jean Todt, our Special Envoy for Road Safety, says that, today, we remember every life lost on the roads and stand with the families whose lives have been forever changed. And in his message for the Day, the Secretary-General notes that solutions exist; from improving infrastructure and legislation, to enforcing safety laws and sharing best practices across borders.
**Briefing tomorrow
Lastly, tomorrow, at 12:45 p.m., there will be a briefing here organized by our good friends at the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs to launch the World Urbanization Prospects 2025: Summary of Results. Speakers will be: Bjørg Sandkjær, Department of Economic and Social Affairs Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination; along with John Wilmoth, whom you all know as the Department's Director of the Population Division; and Sara Hertog, Population Affairs Officer in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Gabriel, go ahead.
**Questions and Answers
Question: Thank you, Steph. One on Bangladesh and one on Gaza. First on Bangladesh, does the Secretary-General have any reaction to a Bangladeshi court sentencing Sheikh Hasina in absentia to the death penalty for her alleged role in the violent crackdown last year?
Spokesman: We fully agree with what the High Commissioner [for Human Rights] Volker Türk said, is that we stand against the use of the death penalty in all circumstances. That's on the death penalty. Now, I'd refer you to what Volker Türk's office said, that the verdicts delivered today is an important moment for victims of the grave violations committed during the suppression of protests last year in Bangladesh. I think our human rights colleagues have been calling diligently [...] for perpetrators, including individuals in position of command and leadership, to be held accountable. Accountability is critical. It is, of course, very important that people remain calm in Bangladesh following the assurance of the verdict and for all to exercise restraint in response to these developments.
Question: If I can get one on Gaza. As you probably recall, last week, there was a planeload of Palestinians that were essentially stranded in Johannesburg. It initially was portrayed as voluntary migration. However, after further review, it appears that a private third-party company, in conjunction with the Israeli military or with ties with the Israeli military, was behind this. And it is not voluntary. It was perhaps by early indications, after further review, forced transfer. My question is, can you remind as we move forward in the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire, assuming we get there, what the Secretary-General's stance is on Palestinians that perhaps choose to leave at the behest of the Israeli authorities, or the difference with forced transfers and where the SG stands on this?
Spokesman: We stand firmly against any forced transfer of population, whether it's in Gaza or anywhere else. The incident that we saw and we followed, like you, through the media is very bizarre indeed. It is critical that there be full investigation, that clarity be brought to this incident. And we would be very disturbed to learn that people had been forcibly put on a plane and sent halfway around the world against their wish. And I can assure you, though you didn't ask, that we were not involved in any of this operation, as well. Ibtisam Azem?
Question: Thank you. First follow-up on Gabriel's question regarding the airplane. I mean, as you know, no one can leave the Gaza Strip without the permission of the Israelis. And I guess what do you make of that, the fact that people were moved or whether they paid themselves or not, the fact that the Israelis knew all about that and sent them to a place where they didn't know where they were going?
Spokesman: No. I mean, the incident is extremely bizarre, right? And that's why I said to Gabriel that the South Africans, I understand, are starting investigation. People need to get to the bottom of this. Nobody should be forced to get on a plane and to be sent somewhere without their approval. Again, I think the facts at this point still remain murky, but it is not an operation that seems to meet international standards by any means.
Question: And, well, Mr. Fisher was very optimistic that you will give me an answer on the question, but I will try. Does the Secretary-General believe that there should be an arms embargo on all parties in Sudan?
Spokesman: The Security Council will have to decide on that. For the Secretary-General, it is very clear. The last thing Sudan needs now is more flow of arms, more flow of weapons, more flow of drones. We're seeing horrific violations of human rights, horrific violations of international law. And the international community, including the Security Council, should do whatever it can to support the mediation efforts that involve the African Union, that involve IGAD [Intergovernmental Authority for Development], that involve the UN and a number of Member States. And we need to see a stop to the fighting. David?
Question: Thank you, Steph. Two questions. This afternoon, 5 p.m., there is a UN Security Council meeting on Gaza. The expectation is that there is a US-sponsored resolution on tap to be voted on the Gaza plan. Where does the Secretary-General stand on that? I know the Palestinians made a statement last week that they are in support of this. Is there sort of a unifying effort on behalf of getting this resolution passed? And the second question is that last week we talked about the Russians having their own plan; where does that fall into place in relation to the resolution that is on tap for today?
Spokesman: Well, as you know, David, I'm not going to speak on behalf of the Council or members of the Council. So, there are negotiations going on. Our words may not be helpful to those negotiations. I mean, what we've always said is that a strong voice from the Security Council is always helpful. We want to see more humanitarian aid go in. We want to see the phase two of the plan be activated, which would lead to a political process with a view of establishing the hope for a two-State solution. Dezhi?
Question: Yes. Now, on Japan: Prime Minister of Japan, [Sanae] Takaichi, last week said something that a Taiwan contingency would also be a Japan contingency, which led to another round of tension between China and Japan. Can you remind us of the official position on Taiwan of the United Nations?
Spokesman: It's based on the relevant General Assembly resolution, which I've reminded you.
Question: So, the official language in documents still is "Taiwan Province of China". Is that correct?
Spokesman: I'm not aware of any change in General Assembly texts. What we would like to see is a lowering of the tensions between these two very important countries in the region and the resumption of dialogue to defuse the current tensions.
Question: So, should a Member State of the United Nations respect other nations' territorial integrity and sovereignty?
Spokesman: We want to see a lowering of the tensions. Every Member State should support and respect the Charter. Please, go ahead.
Question: Thank you, Stéphane. Two questions. One, there is a conference today here at the United Nations on the establishment of a nuclear-free Middle East. Where does the Secretary-General stand on that?
Spokesman: He stands for it. There is a message that was issued in his name, which I would refer you to. The Secretary-General stands against the proliferation of nuclear weapons and stands for the denuclearization of these weapons.
Question: And there are some news reports coming out of Italy that it has begun an investigation into the so-called sniper safaris, the claims that tourists paid to go to Bosnia and kill civilians. I'm just wondering if the United Nations... if these claims are supported by reports from back in the day by, like, you and the United Nations?
Spokesman: I've seen these press reports, and you know, we talk about horrific things every day in this room. What is described in the press reports is almost beyond words. We very much hope that this investigation will run its course, and of course, we would cooperate with it in any way we could within our usual parameters. Yes, ma'am?
Question: Regarding your employees in Yemen. We have heard that Houthis, they start investigating them. Did the UN take any action towards that?
Spokesman: Well, I mean, as you know, our colleagues, I think it's about 59 of them, remain arbitrarily detained. We have been actively engaging with the Houthis to secure their immediate release.
Question: I'm not sure, if you... okay, so the question related to the resolution, but, indirectly, the US resolution on the... so, the resolution doesn't give the UN a large role in the rebuilding efforts. It's mostly humanitarian. And I'm wondering, until now, there were other rebuilding efforts from previous wars in Gaza. And if I'm not mistaken, and my question is, which role did the UN play in the past?
Spokesman: We've played many different roles in Gaza in the various reconstruction of efforts in Gaza after different phases of destruction in the Gaza Strip. Okay, I see Joe's face. I don't know if that means you have a question or you're just looking at us.
Correspondent: I do have a question.
Spokesman: Excellent. Nice to see you, Joe.
Question: Nice to see you. My question concerns, at least reports that in connection with the COP30 summit in Brazil, that many trees in the Amazon Forest were taken down to build a four-lane highway to the city of Belém, where the conference is being held. Now, put it in context. Apparently, this highway was in planning stages for several years. However, it was the COP30 conference that gave it the final push. I'm wondering how the Secretary-General feels about seemingly contradictory action to provide better access to this conference by actually taking down portions of the Amazon Forest, which are vital for fighting climate change.
Spokesman: Well, I think the Secretary-General has always been very vocal about the defence of rainforests, including the Amazon. As for where the conference is being held, how it's organized, that is a question to ask the host. As you know, it is Member States who choose where the conferences are held. Okay, on that note...
Question: I realize that, but I'm only asking in terms of, you know, the Secretary-General has repeatedly emphasized the existential threat of climate change, and here in connection with the conference dealing with that issue, you have an action that's contrary to the whole agenda. By removing the rainforest trees, and I'm just wondering what is views are on that? That's all.
Spokesman: Many points that you state in your question are facts, and the Secretary-General, as I said, has always been a defender of the Amazon and will continue to do so. Enjoy the rest of the day.
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